Real Estate
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January 19, 2026
B.C. Appeal Court upholds tax on foreign real estate buyers
B.C.’s top court has ruled the province’s so-called “foreign buyer’s tax” for certain real estate sales is payable on the whole transaction when any transferee is a foreign entity or taxable trustee.
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January 16, 2026
SCC’s packed winter session features momentous appeal on Charter s. 33 override provision
The Supreme Court of Canada began hearings in its very busy winter session this week, which features a potentially watershed constitutional appeal and the surprise announcement that Justice Sheilah Martin, the court’s senior western judge, will retire next spring.
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January 16, 2026
Court allows appeal in case of $3M penalty for undisclosed fee relating to mortgage
The Federal Court has allowed an appeal in a case where a financial institution was fined millions for two violations relating to fee disclosure in a mortgage agreement.
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January 16, 2026
Strategies for challenging CRA HST assessments based on incorrect builder classification
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) frequently audits real estate transactions for Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) compliance under the Excise Tax Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. E-15) (ETA), often classifying individuals as “builders” in cases involving property sales or renovations. This classification can lead to substantial assessments, penalties, and interest if deemed incorrect.
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January 14, 2026
Eric Stachecki joins Dentons as partner in Montreal
Dentons has welcomed Eric Stachecki as a partner in its restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy group in Montreal.
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January 13, 2026
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Sheilah Martin to retire in May after eight years at top court
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Sheilah Martin, a former University of Calgary law dean and one of the apex court’s criminal and constitutional law experts, will retire May 30, 2026, after working at the high court for more than eight years.
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January 13, 2026
Court allows appeal relating to Habitat for Humanity occupancy contract
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal concerning whether an occupancy agreement with Habitat for Humanity for owning a home could be contemplated as a rental agreement.
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January 09, 2026
PM Carney’s appointment of Judge Hogue as Deputy AG of Canada sparks questions within legal community
Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue is retiring Feb. 1, 2026, from her full-time job on the federal bench — one day before starting work on Feb. 2 as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general of Canada, Law360 Canada has learned.
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January 07, 2026
B.C. Court of Appeal overturns $12M intermediary fee in cattle ranch deal
The B.C. Court of Appeal has overturned a $12-million award to an intermediary in a cattle ranch acquisition, ruling that while the parties agreed on services and other terms, the absence of agreement on price defeated enforcement of an alleged oral contract.
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January 07, 2026
McCarthy Tétrault announces 2026 partners
McCarthy Tétrault LLP has welcomed eight new equity partners and 16 new income partners, effective Jan. 1, 2026, according to the firm.